Overview of the course
Political dialogue as a practice holds tremendous promise. It can support resolution of violent conflict, and effective implementation of peace agreements. It can support political transitions towards democracy, and bring stability to established democratic governance. It can even help find solutions to some of the most pressing issues of our times, such as climate change and natural resource scarcity.
However, to what extent does political dialogue live up to that promise, both in theory and practice? The lecturer of this course, Violet Benneker, will work together with the group to answer this question together. Violet is a political dialogue expert, who has previously worked on the topic within academia. After leaving academia, she worked for an NGO that facilitates political dialogue around the world; from Myanmar to Ethiopia, and from Colombia to the Dutch Caribbean. Currently, she works for the Clingendael Academy’s Peace Negotiations Programme. Therefore, course will take both perspectives – academic theory and practice.
Course objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to
Understand the practice of political dialogue
Assess the potential and effectiveness of political dialogue for different types of governance challenges
Practice dialogue as a method of communication
Mode of instruction
Seminars
Assessment
Live ‘podcast’ during the seminar – 30%
Students-led seminar – 40%
Students’ constructive feedback – 30%
Registration
See Practical Information
Timetable
See 'MyTimetable'